Callien
by tam5466
Summary: Soon after the Avengers movie, Fury comes to the Avengers with an important request. Mission: find and stop the terrorist group Tartarus from infiltrating, stealing information from, and eventually destroying a nuclear power plant that played an important role in the history of the U.S. But what the Avengers don't expect is meeting someone whose powers equal their own...


_My first ever fanfic. I welcome criticism (yes, even constructive criticism), but let's all remember the old saying: "If you can't say nothing nice, don't say anything at all."_

_I do not own Marvel Universe or anything associated with it, but I do own all my original characters._

_Everyone on the team gets their turn at their own POV, but it will mainly be from the POV of Captain America and another character who will be introduced soon! _

_P.S. There will be BlackHawk and Pepperoni! But I will keep it appropriate!_

Steve Rogers woke up, panting heavily. Cold sweat coated his skin, and he felt clammy all over. What a horrible dream… why did Bucky's death have to replay itself in his mind? Living through it once was torture enough for a lifetime. But to have to dream about it over and over and over…

He wiped his sweaty face with the hem of his t-shirt and looked at the clock by his bead. It was digital, and even though he had been unfrozen for almost a year now, he was still getting used to all of the new technology that this new century offered. He had made strides, thanks to some training that S.H.I.E.L.D. had provided him during his stay at their base in NYC, and to constant help provided by various members of the Avengers. Thor was never really any help when he was on Earth, and that was because he was learning, too. But at least Steve wasn't the only one behind.

The clock read 7:00 am. "What?" he said out loud.

_"Forgive me, sir, but Ms. Potts gave me orders to delay your alarm clock this morning. It was supposed to go off at 9:00 am."_

Steve looked around for the source of the voice, and then remembered. "JARVIS," he greeted. "Any particular reason why Ms. Potts wanted me to sleep in so late?"

The AI responded, _"She felt that you were in need of rest considering the fact that you encountered the Wrecking Crew last night."_

Sighing, Steve reached for the switch by his bed and flipped it, causing the automatic blinds on his windows to rise. The sky was red-hued. _Red skies in the morning…_ Steve thought, recounting the old saying in his head. "Well, I'll tell her that I appreciate that she's so considerate. But it really wasn't necessary." 9:00 am? Really? He normally woke at 5:00 am to train, and even that was late for him from the days he was in the army. Actually, his biological clock normally woke him at five anyways… Huh. If he woke up at seven, maybe he _had_ been in need of a little extra sleep.

"Where are the others?" he asked JARVIS, getting out of bed and searching for a t-shirt and sweat pants.

_"Agents Romanoff and Barton are in the training room. Dr. Banner just awoke. Mr. Stark is still in bed. Thor has not returned from Asgard."_ JARVIS paused. "_Sir, Director Fury is in the lobby of the Tower. Shall I let him in?"_

"Fury?" Steve asked. He looked at the sweats he was about to don, then tossed them on his bed, searching for something more suitable for greeting the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. He opted for a blue button-down and brown slacks. "Tell him I'll be down there personally as soon as possible, and to make himself comfortable."

_"Yes, Sir."_

Steve hurried to dress, and then strode out of his room and into the elevator in the hallway. He arrived on the lobby floor and made his way to the front desk. The visitation lady was already there. Her eyes lit up and crinkled at the corners as he walked in. "Good Morning, Captain Rogers," she greeted. "Did you sleep well?"

Steve nodded and smiled back. "Yes, ma'am, I did. And you?"

"I did, though it was a late night. My daughter and her husband are staying with us for a few days. The grandkids, too. Can you believe it? My oldest is turning three this weekend! He's going to be three!" She shook her head. "Time has flown. Oh! Director Fury is in the den, by the way. It seemed urgent."

Steve walked towards the den. "Thank you, ma'am. And congratulations to your grandson!"

Upon entering the den, Steve saw S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury stand by one of the windows, watching the early morning traffic. "You seem to be adjusting well, Captain," Fury said in way of greeting, not turning around.

"I try, sir." Steve went to stand by the master spy. "This is an early call, even for you. Is something wrong?"

Turning around, Fury stuck his hand in his black trench coat and pulled out a manila folder. "I have an assignment for your team."

Steve raised an eyebrow. "Assignment? Sir, with all due respect, the Avengers are not under your command. They're under mine."

Fury gave him a look, not pushing it, but the look said that he wasn't letting that topic slide. "It's urgent. Is this room secure?"

"All of the tower's rooms are secure," Steve replied. "Tony made sure about that. What is it?"

With a second's hesitation longer, Fury handed Steve the folder. "We received intel that a terrorist group is planning on making a major hit in the U.S."

Steve felt his blood begin to boil at that. "What?" he said dangerously. "Who are they?"

"They call themselves Tartarus," Fury clarified. "They're based out of Europe. There have been rumors of the group for decades, but its existence wasn't proven fact until about five years ago. That either indicates that they were horrible then, they're horrible now, or they're more confident now."

"What did they do that proved them to be fact?"

Fury opened the file and pulled out a page. "Four years ago, the northern part of Paris had two bomb threats in as many weeks. Both proved true. Three years ago, they tried to assassinate an ambassador from China when he was in Spain. They didn't get him, but they got a lot of what staff accompanied him." He shook the paper. 'Several incidents like this have peppered the last decade. Nothing directed towards the U.S."

Steve frowned. "Until now. What's their target?"

Fury pulled another paper. "Ever been to Tennessee?"

"No." Taking the paper, Steve shook his head. "What's in Tennessee that terrorists would want?"

"Oak Ridge Nuclear Power Plant. The base for the Manhattan Project."

"The Manhattan Project?" Steve's head snapped back up at Fury. "The bomb that ended the War."

Fury nodded. "World War II, yes." He indicated the paper again. "They're going to do something there. We don't know what, but we need the best to stop them. And you currently have my best in this tower. I want them on the team that goes to Oak Ridge."

Steve took the two papers. "We'll do it. Anyone else you suggest should go?"

"Banner, not the Hulk," Fury specified. "And… I guess Stark, if he can keep this under wraps."

"But I make the final call."

Fury's eye flashed, but he didn't argue. "Yes."

"All six of us, then, if Thor ever gets back. If not, then whoever's here." Steve held out a hand to Fury. 'We'll take care of it."

Although still slightly infuriated, Fury shook Steve's hand. "Captain, always a pleasure. Keep me updated." And with that, he left the tower.

"Tennessee?" A disheveled Tony tossed the folder to Bruce, who sat beside him with a glass of orange juice. "We once talked about setting up an office in Nashville. Once." He looked at Steve. "You woke me up for this?"

Natasha Romanoff glowered at him. "Did the words 'terrorist attack' and 'nuclear power plant' mean anything to you?"

"Give it a rest, Tasha," Clint Barton said, popping a piece of bacon in his mouth. "He doesn't understand anything that doesn't' directly have to do with him."

"Isn't this, like, your third breakfast since four this morning, Birdbrain?"

_"Anyways_," Steve interrupted before the two men could get started, "We're all going, unless someone has something more important to do. Barton? Ms. Romanoff?"

Natasha shook her head. "Fury wanted us on this. He wouldn't have sent us somewhere else."

Tony stood up and stretched, the glow from his arc reactor coming through the t-shirt material. "Does it _have_ to be Tennessee?"

"Stark!" a couple of voices shouted simultaneously.

Bruce adjusted his glasses as he read over the file. "Before I studied Gamma radiation, I did do some work in atomic power. But I'm not sure if bringing me along is such a good idea."

Steve smiled. "You'll be fine. We all trust you."

Clint bit into a piece of toast. "Besides, if this mission goes south in a hurry and we need to make a quick exit if we're in a building, then you'll just be full of convenience, won't you be?"

"We leave in thirty on that quinjet S.H.I.E.L.D. let us have," Steve concluded. "Bring what you need, whether it's weapons or books on Nuclear Power or what all. And _no_ alcohol," he added, looking straight as Tony. "We all need clear heads for this."

Ever irrepressible, Tony asked, "Can I pick up some moonshine from Hickville?"

"Stark!" Several voices said again.

"Sheesh. Sorry."

Steve pursed his lips. "We leave in thirty. Don't forget. Dismissed."

_Tell me what you think! Be respectful, please!_


End file.
